Good news for the air we breathe and the economy

Published 10:44 am Tuesday, October 18, 2022

To the Editor:

The Senate has voted (69-27) with broad bipartisan support to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montreal Protocol, a treaty-spurring global operation to phase out super-pollutant, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs).  HFCs are found in some air conditioners and refrigeration units. This ratification may prevent around 1 degree F. of global warming by the end of the century.  Although our Senators did not vote in favor of phasing out these dangerous HFCs, we can encourage them to support other bipartisan legislation that will aid in reducing gas emissions into our atmosphere.  HFCs are hundreds to thousands of times as powerful as CO2 in speeding up extreme weather events like severe droughts, flooding and hurricanes in the Southeast.  Our country was the 137^th country to ratify the earlier Montreal Protocol which clamped down on ozone-depleting substances. This recent amendment was negotiated in Kigali, Rwanda with the vote 10 years in the making.

Now here is where it gets interesting!  Supporters included the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers, and Natural Resources Defense Council. It is encouraging when commerce, manufacturing and environmental groups can agree on something.  The claim has been made that this amendment will drive U.S. exports and avoid up to 1 degree F. of warming. Let us hope that that is the case.

Norma Morrison

Carter County